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Business and Economic News and Headlines From ABC News Radioen-us(c) ABC News RadioNot just Facebook: Other apps store unposted photos, too, and there's a reasonhttp://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/8d0ee17b6b948c565c6f9d1fe82a08f3
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 16:46:00 -0600http://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/8d0ee17b6b948c565c6f9d1fe82a08f3coffeekai/iStock(NEW YORK) -- When Facebook announced its latest privacy-related blunder last Friday, one detail alarmed users: third-party apps could have accessed photos that were never even posted.

"The bug also impacted photos that people uploaded to Facebook but chose not to post," Tomer Bar, an engineering director at the company, wrote in a blog post for developers. "For example, if someone uploads a photo to Facebook but doesn't finish posting it — maybe because they've lost reception or walked into a meeting — we store a copy of that photo so the person has it when they come back to the app to complete their post."

A Facebook spokeswoman told ABC news the photos are stored in drafts "to make it easier for someone to come back and post something if they have been interrupted."

On Friday, Facebook updated the blog post to say that the copy of the photos is stored "for three days."

That news drew a mixed reception from privacy advocates, who say that the social media behemoth needs stricter standards on the access given to third-party developers.

The glitch "exposed pictures that were uploaded, but chosen not to actually share," Christine Bannan, the Electronic Privacy Information Center's counsel, told ABC News. "Those are pictures someone actively decided not to show other people and Facebook is still storing that and accidentally giving it to third-party developers."

Third-party apps that require a Facebook account to log in, such as Tinder, Grindr or Bumble, did not respond to a request for comment about whether the Facebook breach involved their access to user photos.

"It’s another example of Facebook not taking privacy seriously enough," Bannan added. ”Facebook just wants as much data as possible and just isn't careful with it. This is happening because they are having developers have access to their platform without having standards and safeguards to what developers have access to."

"We're sorry this happened," Bar wrote.

Some platforms start uploading photos once a user starts drafting a post so that when the user hits "Post," the picture appears to have been loaded immediately.

But what about other social media platforms?

"Twitter does allow upload and storage of media prior to tweeting, but it is only viewable by the account owner," a Twitter spokesperson told ABC News in an emailed statement.

With regard to Snapchat, when a user starts loading a photo on the "Send To" screen, the platform starts encrypting and uploading that content, according to a company spokeswoman.

"We do this to improve delivery speed. If the Snapchatter decides not to send the Snap, decryption keys are never created and no one, including Snap, can view the content of the uploaded Snap. Our systems are designed to delete the encrypted, unsent Snaps within 24 hours, but deletion may happen much sooner," a Snap spokeswoman told ABC News.

Foursquare, which now focuses on enterprise (business) customers, said photos are not stored on the platform unless they are actually posted.

]]>coffeekai/iStock(NEW YORK) -- When Facebook announced its latest privacy-related blunder last Friday, one detail alarmed users: third-party apps could have accessed photos that were never even posted.

"The bug also impacted photos that people uploaded to Facebook but chose not to post," Tomer Bar, an engineering director at the company, wrote in a blog post for developers. "For example, if someone uploads a photo to Facebook but doesn't finish posting it — maybe because they've lost reception or walked into a meeting — we store a copy of that photo so the person has it when they come back to the app to complete their post."

A Facebook spokeswoman told ABC news the photos are stored in drafts "to make it easier for someone to come back and post something if they have been interrupted."

On Friday, Facebook updated the blog post to say that the copy of the photos is stored "for three days."

That news drew a mixed reception from privacy advocates, who say that the social media behemoth needs stricter standards on the access given to third-party developers.

The glitch "exposed pictures that were uploaded, but chosen not to actually share," Christine Bannan, the Electronic Privacy Information Center's counsel, told ABC News. "Those are pictures someone actively decided not to show other people and Facebook is still storing that and accidentally giving it to third-party developers."

Third-party apps that require a Facebook account to log in, such as Tinder, Grindr or Bumble, did not respond to a request for comment about whether the Facebook breach involved their access to user photos.

"It’s another example of Facebook not taking privacy seriously enough," Bannan added. ”Facebook just wants as much data as possible and just isn't careful with it. This is happening because they are having developers have access to their platform without having standards and safeguards to what developers have access to."

"We're sorry this happened," Bar wrote.

Some platforms start uploading photos once a user starts drafting a post so that when the user hits "Post," the picture appears to have been loaded immediately.

But what about other social media platforms?

"Twitter does allow upload and storage of media prior to tweeting, but it is only viewable by the account owner," a Twitter spokesperson told ABC News in an emailed statement.

With regard to Snapchat, when a user starts loading a photo on the "Send To" screen, the platform starts encrypting and uploading that content, according to a company spokeswoman.

"We do this to improve delivery speed. If the Snapchatter decides not to send the Snap, decryption keys are never created and no one, including Snap, can view the content of the uploaded Snap. Our systems are designed to delete the encrypted, unsent Snaps within 24 hours, but deletion may happen much sooner," a Snap spokeswoman told ABC News.

Foursquare, which now focuses on enterprise (business) customers, said photos are not stored on the platform unless they are actually posted.

]]>Embattled Trump Foundation agrees to dissolve itself in agreement with New York AGhttp://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/325ac621a1afaf83cb273b015a5588ad
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 10:13:00 -0600http://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/325ac621a1afaf83cb273b015a5588adaluxum/iStock(NEW YORK) -- President Trump’s embattled charitable foundation has agreed to dissolve itself under judicial supervision as part of a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood.

The Trump Foundation had previously sought to dissolve on its own terms but has now signed a stipulation that requires it to do so with monitoring by the court and oversight by the attorney general’s office, which must review and approve disbursements of remaining funds to make sure the recipients are legitimate.

“Today’s stipulation accomplishes a key piece of the relief sought in our lawsuit earlier this year,” said New York Attorney General (NYAG) Barbara Underwood in a statement. “Under the terms, the Trump Foundation can only dissolve under judicial supervision -- and it can only distribute its remaining charitable assets to reputable organizations approved by my office.”

The attorney general’s lawsuit alleged that the president and his three eldest children, who served as members of the foundation’s board, repeatedly used charitable donations for personal, political and business gains, including legal settlements, campaign contributions and even to purchase a portrait of Trump to hang at one of his hotels.

The alleged conduct, Underwood said, “amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests.”

Yet an attorney for the Trump Foundation had a sharply different take on the matter. In a statement released in response to the attorney general's comments, Trump Foundation attorney Alan Futerfas accused Underwood's office of "politicizing" the matter.

“Contrary to the NYAG’s misleading statement issued earlier today, the Foundation has been seeking to dissolve and distribute its remaining assets to worthwhile charitable causes since Donald J. Trump’s victory in the 2016 Presidential election," Futerfas' statement said. "Unfortunately, the NYAG sought to prevent dissolution for almost two years, thereby depriving those most in need of nearly $1.7 million."

Futerfas went on to contend that in the past decade the foundation has distributed about $19 million to 700 different charitable organizations.

Shortly after the Futerfas statement was released, Underwood shot back with a follow-up statement of her own, insisting that the foundation wanted to dissolve itself, but that the dissolution required government oversight.

"Given the Trump Foundation’s egregious pattern of illegality -- including repeatedly using charitable assets for unlawful purposes -- that was unacceptable," an Underwood spokesperson said in the follow-up statement.

"That’s why AG Underwood’s suit demanded dissolution under court supervision, with our office’s oversight of how the charitable assets will be distributed -- and that’s exactly what we achieved with the Trump Foundation’s concession today. The lawsuit is also seeking restitution, as well as prohibiting Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. from serving on the boards of charities for the next 10 years.

An attorney for the president has argued that the case is politically motivated, an argument the judge rejected as recently as last month when he turned down an attempt to get the case dismissed.

The Trump Foundation had previously sought to dissolve on its own terms but has now signed a stipulation that requires it to do so with monitoring by the court and oversight by the attorney general’s office, which must review and approve disbursements of remaining funds to make sure the recipients are legitimate.

“Today’s stipulation accomplishes a key piece of the relief sought in our lawsuit earlier this year,” said New York Attorney General (NYAG) Barbara Underwood in a statement. “Under the terms, the Trump Foundation can only dissolve under judicial supervision -- and it can only distribute its remaining charitable assets to reputable organizations approved by my office.”

The attorney general’s lawsuit alleged that the president and his three eldest children, who served as members of the foundation’s board, repeatedly used charitable donations for personal, political and business gains, including legal settlements, campaign contributions and even to purchase a portrait of Trump to hang at one of his hotels.

The alleged conduct, Underwood said, “amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests.”

Yet an attorney for the Trump Foundation had a sharply different take on the matter. In a statement released in response to the attorney general's comments, Trump Foundation attorney Alan Futerfas accused Underwood's office of "politicizing" the matter.

“Contrary to the NYAG’s misleading statement issued earlier today, the Foundation has been seeking to dissolve and distribute its remaining assets to worthwhile charitable causes since Donald J. Trump’s victory in the 2016 Presidential election," Futerfas' statement said. "Unfortunately, the NYAG sought to prevent dissolution for almost two years, thereby depriving those most in need of nearly $1.7 million."

Futerfas went on to contend that in the past decade the foundation has distributed about $19 million to 700 different charitable organizations.

Shortly after the Futerfas statement was released, Underwood shot back with a follow-up statement of her own, insisting that the foundation wanted to dissolve itself, but that the dissolution required government oversight.

"Given the Trump Foundation’s egregious pattern of illegality -- including repeatedly using charitable assets for unlawful purposes -- that was unacceptable," an Underwood spokesperson said in the follow-up statement.

"That’s why AG Underwood’s suit demanded dissolution under court supervision, with our office’s oversight of how the charitable assets will be distributed -- and that’s exactly what we achieved with the Trump Foundation’s concession today. The lawsuit is also seeking restitution, as well as prohibiting Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. from serving on the boards of charities for the next 10 years.

An attorney for the president has argued that the case is politically motivated, an argument the judge rejected as recently as last month when he turned down an attempt to get the case dismissed.

Ribeiro, 47, filed suit Monday in California District Court against Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and 2K Sports, alleging "unauthorized use of Ribeiro’s highly popular signature dance in their video game," according to the suit obtained by ABC News.

"Ribeiro is an internationally famous Hollywood star, known for his starring role as Carlton Banks from the hit television series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and as host of America’s Funniest Home Videos. Ribeiro created his highly recognizable 'Dance,' that has also been referred to by the public as 'The Carlton Dance,'" it continues.

The lawsuit goes on to allege that the makers of Fortnite are charging players to customize and to dance the "fresh" move or emote, which the actor and past Dancing With the Stars champion says is way too similar to his iconic dance.

"Although misleadingly labeled in Fortnite, the emote, as they are called, was immediately recognized by players and media worldwide as Ribeiro’s The Dance. Epic did not seek, much less obtain, Ribeiro’s consent to use, display, reproduce, sell, or creative a derivate work based upon The Dance or Ribiero’s likeness," the suit alleges.

The actor is seeking "relief and damages, including, but not limited to, Epic’s profits attributed to its misappropriation of The Dance and Ribeiro’s likeness," the suit adds, citing the game has made hundreds of millions.

As for 2K, the suit alleges that game, specifically the 2016 version, has a move called the "So Fresh" that is "wholly similar" to his famed dance. He's also seeking relief and damages from that game's creators.

Both Epic Games and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. told ABC News the companies do not comment on legal matters and ongoing litigation.

]]>Marco_Piunti/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Former Fresh Prince of Bel'Air star Alfonso Ribeiro is suing the creators behind the hit games Fortnite and NBA 2K because he believes they ripped off the likeness to his famed "Carlton" dance from his iconic 90's sitcom.

Ribeiro, 47, filed suit Monday in California District Court against Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and 2K Sports, alleging "unauthorized use of Ribeiro’s highly popular signature dance in their video game," according to the suit obtained by ABC News.

"Ribeiro is an internationally famous Hollywood star, known for his starring role as Carlton Banks from the hit television series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and as host of America’s Funniest Home Videos. Ribeiro created his highly recognizable 'Dance,' that has also been referred to by the public as 'The Carlton Dance,'" it continues.

The lawsuit goes on to allege that the makers of Fortnite are charging players to customize and to dance the "fresh" move or emote, which the actor and past Dancing With the Stars champion says is way too similar to his iconic dance.

"Although misleadingly labeled in Fortnite, the emote, as they are called, was immediately recognized by players and media worldwide as Ribeiro’s The Dance. Epic did not seek, much less obtain, Ribeiro’s consent to use, display, reproduce, sell, or creative a derivate work based upon The Dance or Ribiero’s likeness," the suit alleges.

The actor is seeking "relief and damages, including, but not limited to, Epic’s profits attributed to its misappropriation of The Dance and Ribeiro’s likeness," the suit adds, citing the game has made hundreds of millions.

As for 2K, the suit alleges that game, specifically the 2016 version, has a move called the "So Fresh" that is "wholly similar" to his famed dance. He's also seeking relief and damages from that game's creators.

Both Epic Games and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. told ABC News the companies do not comment on legal matters and ongoing litigation.

]]>Final day for pre-Christmas delivery nears for Amazon, Target and other retailershttp://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/3319882bba76d47020a0185a165fe0db
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 08:18:00 -0600http://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/3319882bba76d47020a0185a165fe0dbymgerman/iStock(NEW YORK) -- If you've been putting off Christmas shopping until the last minute, now is the time to act, especially if you want your online orders to arrive on time.

With Christmas officially a week away, Amazon has extended its last day for free shipping to Wednesday. Amazon Prime members, meanwhile, have until Dec. 22 to take advantage of free two-day shipping.

If you're planning to buy items from big box retailers like Target, Walmart and Best Buy, make sure to mark Thursday on your calendar -- that's the last day for pre-Christmas delivery.

This could be the perfect time, and perfect excuse, to jump on the latest trend and give an experience as a gift.

Not only will you surprise your loved ones by giving an experience, you'll make them happier too, research shows. Researchers at Cornell University found that happiness from buying gifts like TVs quickly falls, while satisfaction from buying an experience like a trip only continues to grow.

Katherine Kellogg, 28, said she found unexpected joy when she began gifting experiences to friends and family three years ago. She and her husband, who live in the San Francisco area, give each other experiences they can do together, like tickets to a basketball game or an opera, each Christmas.

The bonus of giving an experience gift to do together is that you're also giving the gift of your time, noted Kellogg, who shares a list of 50 experience ideas on her blog, Going Zero Waste.

"Everyone is always busy and with this, you’re also intentionally making sure that time is carved out," she said. "You already have it on the schedule."

Here are experience ideas for everyone on your gift list:

Parents: A monthly subscription to a service like Blue Apron for cooking or baking; annual tickets to a local theater; newspaper or magazine subscription; airplane tickets to visit you or other family; annual pass for a local attraction or museum; movie passes; gift card to a favorite restaurant; hiring a photographer for family photos; couples' dance lessons; tickets to a lecture series; homemade coupons for everything from a home cooked meal to help with a home project.

Partner: A trip together; homemade passes for tasks like cooking dinner or cleaning or completing projects at home; couples' massage; classes together (think everything from cooking to art to improv to dancing to exercise); date nights booked in advance so they are planned and on the calendar; an outdoor event like a hike or kayaking; a hot-air balloon ride or skydiving trip if you're adventurous; a trip back to or a recreation of your first date spot; tickets to a concert, play or sporting event.

Kids: Membership passes to a local museum or aquarium or kids' center; tickets to live theater or a sporting event; a family trip; classes (like baking, photography, science, or even a class as a family); a visit to a local mini-golf course or trampoline park; coupons for ice cream dates; a one-on-one trip to the playground; a meal at their favorite restaurant; a family hike; lessons, from guitar to horseback riding to tennis; a full day of their choice of activities; subscription to a monthly activity or baking box; a day trip to a local destination of their choice.

Aunts, uncles and grandparents: If you live close by, give them the gift of your time and skills with a coupon to help them with a project or a pledge to visit weekly or monthly. If you live far away, research their local town and gift them tickets to the local theater or passes to a local destination or a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant. Other ideas: a visit from you; record them recounting their life experiences for an oral history project; send a letter thanking them for being part of your life and sharing your favorite memories; create a photo book or family tree that shows your roots.

Friends: Passes to yoga or workout classes you can do together; sign up for a baking or art or music class together; massage or spa gift certificates; gift card to a favorite restaurant; movie passes; coffee shop gift card and coupon for coffee dates; a wine tasting; a walking tour of your city together; makeup lesson or wardrobe consultation together; a day trip or a weekend getaway; fresh flowers delivered to their home; a coupon for a friends' night each month or each week.

This could be the perfect time, and perfect excuse, to jump on the latest trend and give an experience as a gift.

Not only will you surprise your loved ones by giving an experience, you'll make them happier too, research shows. Researchers at Cornell University found that happiness from buying gifts like TVs quickly falls, while satisfaction from buying an experience like a trip only continues to grow.

Katherine Kellogg, 28, said she found unexpected joy when she began gifting experiences to friends and family three years ago. She and her husband, who live in the San Francisco area, give each other experiences they can do together, like tickets to a basketball game or an opera, each Christmas.

The bonus of giving an experience gift to do together is that you're also giving the gift of your time, noted Kellogg, who shares a list of 50 experience ideas on her blog, Going Zero Waste.

"Everyone is always busy and with this, you’re also intentionally making sure that time is carved out," she said. "You already have it on the schedule."

Here are experience ideas for everyone on your gift list:

Parents: A monthly subscription to a service like Blue Apron for cooking or baking; annual tickets to a local theater; newspaper or magazine subscription; airplane tickets to visit you or other family; annual pass for a local attraction or museum; movie passes; gift card to a favorite restaurant; hiring a photographer for family photos; couples' dance lessons; tickets to a lecture series; homemade coupons for everything from a home cooked meal to help with a home project.

Partner: A trip together; homemade passes for tasks like cooking dinner or cleaning or completing projects at home; couples' massage; classes together (think everything from cooking to art to improv to dancing to exercise); date nights booked in advance so they are planned and on the calendar; an outdoor event like a hike or kayaking; a hot-air balloon ride or skydiving trip if you're adventurous; a trip back to or a recreation of your first date spot; tickets to a concert, play or sporting event.

Kids: Membership passes to a local museum or aquarium or kids' center; tickets to live theater or a sporting event; a family trip; classes (like baking, photography, science, or even a class as a family); a visit to a local mini-golf course or trampoline park; coupons for ice cream dates; a one-on-one trip to the playground; a meal at their favorite restaurant; a family hike; lessons, from guitar to horseback riding to tennis; a full day of their choice of activities; subscription to a monthly activity or baking box; a day trip to a local destination of their choice.

Aunts, uncles and grandparents: If you live close by, give them the gift of your time and skills with a coupon to help them with a project or a pledge to visit weekly or monthly. If you live far away, research their local town and gift them tickets to the local theater or passes to a local destination or a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant. Other ideas: a visit from you; record them recounting their life experiences for an oral history project; send a letter thanking them for being part of your life and sharing your favorite memories; create a photo book or family tree that shows your roots.

Friends: Passes to yoga or workout classes you can do together; sign up for a baking or art or music class together; massage or spa gift certificates; gift card to a favorite restaurant; movie passes; coffee shop gift card and coupon for coffee dates; a wine tasting; a walking tour of your city together; makeup lesson or wardrobe consultation together; a day trip or a weekend getaway; fresh flowers delivered to their home; a coupon for a friends' night each month or each week.

Moonves was eyeing the massive payout -- the amount the company put aside into a trust for his severance -- even after he stepped down as head of CBS in September amid allegations of sexual harassment.

"With regard to Mr. Moonves, we have determined that there are grounds to terminate for cause, including his willful and material misfeasance, violation of Company policies and breach of his employment contract, as well as his willful failure to cooperate fully with the Company’s investigation," CBS said.

CBS said Moonves "will not receive any severance payment from the Company."

In July, The New Yorker published a bombshell investigation by Ronan Farrow alleging Moonves engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior, including unwanted kissing and touching that occurred over 20 years ago.

Farrow told ABC News that the piece was "about six women who did an incredibly brave thing: overcoming tremendous fear of retaliation to speak about their experiences with Moonves" as well as "about dozens and dozens of sources who told us that a culture of harassment and retaliation had permeated various facets of his company."

More women have since spoken out against Moonves.

Internal investigators determined that harassment and retaliation "are not pervasive at CBS," despite the allegations against Moonves, according to CBS. But, the network said it also determined structures and practices in the past did not reflect "a high institutional priority on preventing harassment and retaliation."

The company's board of directors has "begun to take robust steps to improve the working environment for all employees," which will include "promoting a workplace culture of dignity, transparency, respect and inclusion," the statement said.

In a statement to ABC News, Moonves' attorney Andrew J. Levander described the conclusions by CBS as "baseless" and "without merit." Moonves also "vehemently denies any non-consensual sexual relations and cooperated extensively and fully with investigators," Levander said.

"Consistent with the pattern of leaks that have permeated this "process", the press was informed of these baseless conclusions before Mr. Moonves, further damaging his name, reputation, career and legacy," Levander said.

]]>Tara Ziemba/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- CBS has decided to deny former CEO Leslie Moonves a $120 million payout after an investigation found there were "grounds to terminate for cause," according to a statement from the network.

Moonves was eyeing the massive payout -- the amount the company put aside into a trust for his severance -- even after he stepped down as head of CBS in September amid allegations of sexual harassment.

"With regard to Mr. Moonves, we have determined that there are grounds to terminate for cause, including his willful and material misfeasance, violation of Company policies and breach of his employment contract, as well as his willful failure to cooperate fully with the Company’s investigation," CBS said.

CBS said Moonves "will not receive any severance payment from the Company."

In July, The New Yorker published a bombshell investigation by Ronan Farrow alleging Moonves engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior, including unwanted kissing and touching that occurred over 20 years ago.

Farrow told ABC News that the piece was "about six women who did an incredibly brave thing: overcoming tremendous fear of retaliation to speak about their experiences with Moonves" as well as "about dozens and dozens of sources who told us that a culture of harassment and retaliation had permeated various facets of his company."

More women have since spoken out against Moonves.

Internal investigators determined that harassment and retaliation "are not pervasive at CBS," despite the allegations against Moonves, according to CBS. But, the network said it also determined structures and practices in the past did not reflect "a high institutional priority on preventing harassment and retaliation."

The company's board of directors has "begun to take robust steps to improve the working environment for all employees," which will include "promoting a workplace culture of dignity, transparency, respect and inclusion," the statement said.

In a statement to ABC News, Moonves' attorney Andrew J. Levander described the conclusions by CBS as "baseless" and "without merit." Moonves also "vehemently denies any non-consensual sexual relations and cooperated extensively and fully with investigators," Levander said.

"Consistent with the pattern of leaks that have permeated this "process", the press was informed of these baseless conclusions before Mr. Moonves, further damaging his name, reputation, career and legacy," Levander said.

]]>UPS Store Twitter account gets heat for icy tweet on letters to Santahttp://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/7118d5d7f7d30815b69a0874fa4bc1c9
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 15:24:00 -0600http://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/7118d5d7f7d30815b69a0874fa4bc1c9alexey_ds/iStock(NEW YORK) -- @TheUPSStore, the official Twitter account for retail locations of the shipping company, may have set some sort of bleak record for the most Grinch GIF (pronounced “jif”) replies after tweeting out what some users thought deserved a big lump of coal.

“If your child addresses a letter to the North Pole, you can leave it with us,” the Sunday afternoon tweet read. “We do shredding.”

The UPS Store's Twitter account has displayed cheeky and meme-conscious humor in the past, but hasn't usually crossed the line into social media savagery.

A UPS spokesperson told ABC News the tweet was meant to highlight the shipping center's shredding services, and initially was taken in good humor.

But reaction soured, and the tweet was deleted Monday afternoon, after racking up more than 13,000 likes -- but also some outrage.

"What's your problem?" went one typical reply. "WHO HURT YOU?" went another. "Bah Humbug," went a third. "This pretty much sums of 2018." And so on.

]]>alexey_ds/iStock(NEW YORK) -- @TheUPSStore, the official Twitter account for retail locations of the shipping company, may have set some sort of bleak record for the most Grinch GIF (pronounced “jif”) replies after tweeting out what some users thought deserved a big lump of coal.

“If your child addresses a letter to the North Pole, you can leave it with us,” the Sunday afternoon tweet read. “We do shredding.”

The UPS Store's Twitter account has displayed cheeky and meme-conscious humor in the past, but hasn't usually crossed the line into social media savagery.

A UPS spokesperson told ABC News the tweet was meant to highlight the shipping center's shredding services, and initially was taken in good humor.

But reaction soured, and the tweet was deleted Monday afternoon, after racking up more than 13,000 likes -- but also some outrage.

"What's your problem?" went one typical reply. "WHO HURT YOU?" went another. "Bah Humbug," went a third. "This pretty much sums of 2018." And so on.

]]>Google investing $1 billion to open new campus in New York Cityhttp://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/17392f128009e359ac310ecf6171f1aa
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 08:03:00 -0600http://mediaonegroupradio.com/news-and-closings/business-headlines/17392f128009e359ac310ecf6171f1aaJHVEPhoto/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Google is investing over $1 billion to establish a new campus in New York City, the company announced in a blog post Monday.

The 1.7 million square-foot campus in Manhattan, named Google Hudson Square, will comprise of two buildings on Hudson Street and another building on Washington Street. The company says it hopes to move into the Hudson Street buildings by 2020 and the Washington Street building by 2022.

The new campus, Google says, will be its main location for its New York-based global business organization.

"When we came to New York City almost two decades ago, it was our first office outside of California," Ruth Porat, the CFO of Google and Alphabet, wrote in the blog post. "It’s now home to more than 7,000 employees, speaking 50 languages, working on a broad range of teams including Search, Ads, Maps, YouTube, Cloud, Technical Infrastructure, Sales, Partnerships and Research."

"New York City continues to be a great source of diverse, world-class talent—that’s what brought Google to the city in 2000 and that’s what keeps us here," she added.

Along with Google Hudson Square, Google announced earlier this year it had purchased the Manhattan Chelsea Market for $2.4 billion. With the combined investments, Porat noted that Google "will have the capacity to more than double the number of Googlers in New York over the next 10 years."

The 1.7 million square-foot campus in Manhattan, named Google Hudson Square, will comprise of two buildings on Hudson Street and another building on Washington Street. The company says it hopes to move into the Hudson Street buildings by 2020 and the Washington Street building by 2022.

The new campus, Google says, will be its main location for its New York-based global business organization.

"When we came to New York City almost two decades ago, it was our first office outside of California," Ruth Porat, the CFO of Google and Alphabet, wrote in the blog post. "It’s now home to more than 7,000 employees, speaking 50 languages, working on a broad range of teams including Search, Ads, Maps, YouTube, Cloud, Technical Infrastructure, Sales, Partnerships and Research."

"New York City continues to be a great source of diverse, world-class talent—that’s what brought Google to the city in 2000 and that’s what keeps us here," she added.

Along with Google Hudson Square, Google announced earlier this year it had purchased the Manhattan Chelsea Market for $2.4 billion. With the combined investments, Porat noted that Google "will have the capacity to more than double the number of Googlers in New York over the next 10 years."

"Mondays are absolutely the busiest, and they're projected to be the busiest in our company's history," he says.

The deadline for UPS three-day select shipping, meanwhile, is Tuesday.

If you are using the United States Postal Service, you have until Thursday to get your cards and packages in the mail via First Class or Priority. Anything sent beyond that will require you to pay extra for Express to ensure delivery by Christmas.

"Mondays are absolutely the busiest, and they're projected to be the busiest in our company's history," he says.

The deadline for UPS three-day select shipping, meanwhile, is Tuesday.

If you are using the United States Postal Service, you have until Thursday to get your cards and packages in the mail via First Class or Priority. Anything sent beyond that will require you to pay extra for Express to ensure delivery by Christmas.

"We learned today of the passing of our friend and founder, Colin Kroll, and it's with deep sadness that we say goodbye," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time."

Kroll, who was 35 years old, was found unconscious and unresponsive in his Manhattan apartment on Sunday by New York City Police after they responded to a wellness check, the NYPD said in a statement.

He was pronounced dead on the scene and the medical examiner's office is working to determine the cause of death, police added.

Drugs were found on the scene and taken for further testing, according to the NYPD.

The tech industry guru rose to prominence after founding the app Vine in 2012.

More recently, he was known for being the co-founder and an executive for the HQ Trivia app, which he co-created in 2017.

]]>Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Variety(NEW YORK) -- Colin Kroll, the co-founder and CEO of the HQ Trivia app, has died, a spokesperson for the company he founded confirmed to ABC News on Sunday.

"We learned today of the passing of our friend and founder, Colin Kroll, and it's with deep sadness that we say goodbye," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time."

Kroll, who was 35 years old, was found unconscious and unresponsive in his Manhattan apartment on Sunday by New York City Police after they responded to a wellness check, the NYPD said in a statement.

He was pronounced dead on the scene and the medical examiner's office is working to determine the cause of death, police added.

Drugs were found on the scene and taken for further testing, according to the NYPD.

The tech industry guru rose to prominence after founding the app Vine in 2012.

More recently, he was known for being the co-founder and an executive for the HQ Trivia app, which he co-created in 2017.

Chinyere Ezie, a New York-based civil rights lawyer and social justice activist, said she spotted the "shocking" products in the windows and on the shelves of Prada's store in New York City's SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan on Thursday.

The figurines and $550 keychains, part of Prada's Pradamalia line, featured dark black faces and over-sized red lips, which Ezie said were reminiscent of the racist images and dehumanizing caricatures of black people that appeared in American theater and literature beginning in the 19th century.

In particular, Ezie pointed out similarities between the Prada merchandise and some versions of the children’s book "Little Black Sambo," whose illustrations were considered racist stereotypes of dark-skinned people.

"I was shocked to see blackface and Sambo images in a Prada SoHo window display in 2018," Ezie, a staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, said in a statement obtained by ABC News Saturday. "This iconography has been used throughout history to mock and demean black people and strip us of our humanity -- oftentimes in response to our efforts to assert our rights."

Ezie said she happened to come across the Prada storefront on her way back to her New York City office from a civil rights conference in Washington, D.C., where she saw an exhibit on blackface at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"It was a cruel reminder of how history continues to repeat itself," she said.

Ezie posted photos of the display on social media and expressed her outrage in a now-viral Facebook post, in which she called for people to boycott Prada.

New York City Council member Jumaane Williams shared Ezie's outrage, saying he wants to know who's behind the decision-making at Prada.

"Who looked at this marketing scheme and said this was OK?" Williams told ABC New York City station WABC in an interview Friday. "Let's pretend you've never seen history, those exaggerated features look OK to you?"

Prada released a statement on Friday announcing the company's decision to pull the products, which it said are "fantasy charms" and weren't intended to be offensive.

"Prada Group abhors racist imagery. The Pradamalia are fantasy charms composed of elements of the Prada oeuvre. They are imaginary creatures not intended to have any reference to the real world and certainly not blackface," a Prada Group spokesperson said in a statement obtained by ABC News. "Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery. In this interest we will withdraw the characters in question from display and circulation."

Ezie is now calling on Prada to donate any profits from the sale of the figurines to organizations that work to combat racism.

"Everyday racism is just a bitter pill that black people have to swallow, but we can fight back," she said.

Chinyere Ezie, a New York-based civil rights lawyer and social justice activist, said she spotted the "shocking" products in the windows and on the shelves of Prada's store in New York City's SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan on Thursday.

The figurines and $550 keychains, part of Prada's Pradamalia line, featured dark black faces and over-sized red lips, which Ezie said were reminiscent of the racist images and dehumanizing caricatures of black people that appeared in American theater and literature beginning in the 19th century.

In particular, Ezie pointed out similarities between the Prada merchandise and some versions of the children’s book "Little Black Sambo," whose illustrations were considered racist stereotypes of dark-skinned people.

"I was shocked to see blackface and Sambo images in a Prada SoHo window display in 2018," Ezie, a staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, said in a statement obtained by ABC News Saturday. "This iconography has been used throughout history to mock and demean black people and strip us of our humanity -- oftentimes in response to our efforts to assert our rights."

Ezie said she happened to come across the Prada storefront on her way back to her New York City office from a civil rights conference in Washington, D.C., where she saw an exhibit on blackface at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"It was a cruel reminder of how history continues to repeat itself," she said.

Ezie posted photos of the display on social media and expressed her outrage in a now-viral Facebook post, in which she called for people to boycott Prada.

New York City Council member Jumaane Williams shared Ezie's outrage, saying he wants to know who's behind the decision-making at Prada.

"Who looked at this marketing scheme and said this was OK?" Williams told ABC New York City station WABC in an interview Friday. "Let's pretend you've never seen history, those exaggerated features look OK to you?"

Prada released a statement on Friday announcing the company's decision to pull the products, which it said are "fantasy charms" and weren't intended to be offensive.

"Prada Group abhors racist imagery. The Pradamalia are fantasy charms composed of elements of the Prada oeuvre. They are imaginary creatures not intended to have any reference to the real world and certainly not blackface," a Prada Group spokesperson said in a statement obtained by ABC News. "Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery. In this interest we will withdraw the characters in question from display and circulation."

Ezie is now calling on Prada to donate any profits from the sale of the figurines to organizations that work to combat racism.

"Everyday racism is just a bitter pill that black people have to swallow, but we can fight back," she said.

Chinyere Ezie, a New York-based civil rights lawyer and social justice activist, said she spotted the "shocking" products in the windows and on the shelves of Prada's store in New York City's SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan on Thursday.

The figurines and $550 keychains, part of Prada's Pradamalia line, featured dark black faces and over-sized red lips, which Ezie said were reminiscent of the racist images and dehumanizing caricatures of black people that appeared in American theater and literature beginning in the 19th century.

In particular, Ezie pointed out similarities between the Prada merchandise and some versions of the children’s book "Little Black Sambo," whose illustrations were considered racist stereotypes of dark-skinned people.

"I was shocked to see blackface and Sambo images in a Prada SoHo window display in 2018," Ezie, a staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, said in a statement obtained by ABC News Saturday. "This iconography has been used throughout history to mock and demean black people and strip us of our humanity -- oftentimes in response to our efforts to assert our rights."

Ezie said she happened to come across the Prada storefront on her way back to her New York City office from a civil rights conference in Washington, D.C., where she saw an exhibit on blackface at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"It was a cruel reminder of how history continues to repeat itself," she said.

Ezie posted photos of the display on social media and expressed her outrage in a now-viral Facebook post, in which she called for people to boycott Prada.

New York City Council member Jumaane Williams shared Ezie's outrage, saying he wants to know who's behind the decision-making at Prada.

"Who looked at this marketing scheme and said this was OK?" Williams told ABC New York City station WABC in an interview Friday. "Let's pretend you've never seen history, those exaggerated features look OK to you?"

Prada released a statement on Friday announcing the company's decision to pull the products, which it said are "fantasy charms" and weren't intended to be offensive.

"Prada Group abhors racist imagery. The Pradamalia are fantasy charms composed of elements of the Prada oeuvre. They are imaginary creatures not intended to have any reference to the real world and certainly not blackface," a Prada Group spokesperson said in a statement obtained by ABC News. "Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery. In this interest we will withdraw the characters in question from display and circulation."

Ezie is now calling on Prada to donate any profits from the sale of the figurines to organizations that work to combat racism.

"Everyday racism is just a bitter pill that black people have to swallow, but we can fight back," she said.

]]>Massimo Merlini/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Luxury Italian fashion house Prada announced that it will pull certain accessories from stock following accusations that the merchandise perpetuates blackface imagery.

Chinyere Ezie, a New York-based civil rights lawyer and social justice activist, said she spotted the "shocking" products in the windows and on the shelves of Prada's store in New York City's SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan on Thursday.

The figurines and $550 keychains, part of Prada's Pradamalia line, featured dark black faces and over-sized red lips, which Ezie said were reminiscent of the racist images and dehumanizing caricatures of black people that appeared in American theater and literature beginning in the 19th century.

In particular, Ezie pointed out similarities between the Prada merchandise and some versions of the children’s book "Little Black Sambo," whose illustrations were considered racist stereotypes of dark-skinned people.

"I was shocked to see blackface and Sambo images in a Prada SoHo window display in 2018," Ezie, a staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, said in a statement obtained by ABC News Saturday. "This iconography has been used throughout history to mock and demean black people and strip us of our humanity -- oftentimes in response to our efforts to assert our rights."

Ezie said she happened to come across the Prada storefront on her way back to her New York City office from a civil rights conference in Washington, D.C., where she saw an exhibit on blackface at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"It was a cruel reminder of how history continues to repeat itself," she said.

Ezie posted photos of the display on social media and expressed her outrage in a now-viral Facebook post, in which she called for people to boycott Prada.

New York City Council member Jumaane Williams shared Ezie's outrage, saying he wants to know who's behind the decision-making at Prada.

"Who looked at this marketing scheme and said this was OK?" Williams told ABC New York City station WABC in an interview Friday. "Let's pretend you've never seen history, those exaggerated features look OK to you?"

Prada released a statement on Friday announcing the company's decision to pull the products, which it said are "fantasy charms" and weren't intended to be offensive.

"Prada Group abhors racist imagery. The Pradamalia are fantasy charms composed of elements of the Prada oeuvre. They are imaginary creatures not intended to have any reference to the real world and certainly not blackface," a Prada Group spokesperson said in a statement obtained by ABC News. "Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery. In this interest we will withdraw the characters in question from display and circulation."

Ezie is now calling on Prada to donate any profits from the sale of the figurines to organizations that work to combat racism.

"Everyday racism is just a bitter pill that black people have to swallow, but we can fight back," she said.

The cruise line plans to feature "BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster" on board the ship Mardi Gras when it launches in two years. The 800-foot, all-electric coaster will travel up to about 40 miles per hour and feature "twists, turns and drops."

"Mardi Gras will be our most innovative ship ever with some tryly special features and attractions," Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said in a press release. She called the roller coaster a "one-of-a-kind, game-changing, exhilarating attraction."

Carnival's website says riders will be able to control the speed of their ride -- up to the limit, of course -- and will experience 360 degree views of the ocean around them.

]]>Joel Carillet/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Carnival Cruise Line is planning to unveil what it calls the "first-ever roller coaster at sea" in 2020.

The cruise line plans to feature "BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster" on board the ship Mardi Gras when it launches in two years. The 800-foot, all-electric coaster will travel up to about 40 miles per hour and feature "twists, turns and drops."

"Mardi Gras will be our most innovative ship ever with some tryly special features and attractions," Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said in a press release. She called the roller coaster a "one-of-a-kind, game-changing, exhilarating attraction."

Carnival's website says riders will be able to control the speed of their ride -- up to the limit, of course -- and will experience 360 degree views of the ocean around them.

"Our internal team discovered a photo API bug that may have affected people who used Facebook Login and granted permission to third-party apps to access their photos. We have fixed the issue but, because of this bug, some third-party apps may have had access to a broader set of photos than usual for 12 days between September 13 to September 25, 2018," the company said in a post on its developer blog.

"When someone gives permission for an app to access their photos on Facebook, we usually only grant the app access to photos people share on their timeline. In this case, the bug potentially gave developers access to other photos, such as those shared on Marketplace or Facebook Stories. The bug also impacted photos that people uploaded to Facebook but chose not to post. For example, if someone uploads a photo to Facebook but doesn't finish posting it -- maybe because they've lost reception or walked into a meeting -- we store a copy of that photo so the person has it when they come back to the app to complete their post," the company said.

The social media giant also said the bug may have affected "up to 6.8 million users and up to 1,500 apps built by 876 developers," the statement said. "The only apps affected by this bug were ones that Facebook approved to access the photos API and that individuals had authorized to access their photos."

Users who were affected were notified by an alert on Facebook, the company said Friday. They also recommended users log into apps and check which photos they granted access to.

"Our internal team discovered a photo API bug that may have affected people who used Facebook Login and granted permission to third-party apps to access their photos. We have fixed the issue but, because of this bug, some third-party apps may have had access to a broader set of photos than usual for 12 days between September 13 to September 25, 2018," the company said in a post on its developer blog.

"When someone gives permission for an app to access their photos on Facebook, we usually only grant the app access to photos people share on their timeline. In this case, the bug potentially gave developers access to other photos, such as those shared on Marketplace or Facebook Stories. The bug also impacted photos that people uploaded to Facebook but chose not to post. For example, if someone uploads a photo to Facebook but doesn't finish posting it -- maybe because they've lost reception or walked into a meeting -- we store a copy of that photo so the person has it when they come back to the app to complete their post," the company said.

The social media giant also said the bug may have affected "up to 6.8 million users and up to 1,500 apps built by 876 developers," the statement said. "The only apps affected by this bug were ones that Facebook approved to access the photos API and that individuals had authorized to access their photos."

Users who were affected were notified by an alert on Facebook, the company said Friday. They also recommended users log into apps and check which photos they granted access to.

Authorities allege that those retailers and importers committed deceptive acts, false advertising and thousands of violations of state laws related to selling hazardous toys when they imported and sold thousands of Cra-Z-Jewelz jewelry-making kits between 2015 and 2016, according to the suit filed in Albany County Supreme Court.

“No parent should have to worry that their child’s toy may be toxic. As we allege, these companies imported and sold toys with dangerous levels of toxic lead -- jeopardizing the health of New York’s children and breaking the law,” Underwood said in a statement. “Our lawsuit seeks to hold these companies accountable for the failures that allowed lead-contaminated toys on store shelves, while forcing them to take responsibility for the safety of the products they sell.”

The federal limit for lead is 100 parts per million (ppm).

In a statement, Walmart said that they take safety seriously and "require our suppliers to meet safety standards."

"As soon as LaRose Industries made us aware of the product recall nearly three years ago, we removed the items from our shelves and online and haven’t sold them since. We’ve discussed this matter with the New York Attorney General’s office and will address the allegations and demands with the court," Walmart added.

Target also issued a statement in response to the lawsuit.

"As soon as the New York Attorney General let us know about the allegations with this product after its testing back in 2016, we immediately and voluntarily pulled the bracelet kit from our stores," said Target in a statement. "We’re committed to providing high quality and safe products to our guests and we require all of our vendors to follow safety laws and CPSC guidelines for the products they sell at Target."

In 2015 and 2016, the New York attorney general’s office said they tested Cra-Z-Jewelz kits sold in New York City, Long Island, Syracuse and Buffalo and found lead levels of 120 to 980 ppm in wristbands from kits sold at Target and supplied by LaRose. Prosecutors determined the same LaRose-supplied kits were sold in New York Walmart stores, according to the lawsuit.

Following the initial finding of high-lead levels in the wristbands, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, LaRose and the attorney general’s office all did additional testing that also found that there was lead contamination, the attorney general’s office said in a statement.

LaRose then issued a national recall of the jewelry-making kits, according to the attorney general. They also adopted "measures to better ensure that the imported toys they sell comply with federal lead limits."

Prosecutors are seeking civil penalties from $70 to $6,000 for each Cra-Z-Jewelz kit the companies sought to sell in the state and a court order requiring the companies to "take actions to ensure that toys with high lead levels do not end up on the retailers' store shelves."

]]>CPSC(NEW YORK) -- New York State is suing the Target Corporation, Walmart Inc., and importer LaRose Industries, for allegedly selling a toy jewelry kit containing lead levels up to 10 times higher than the federal limit, state Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood's office announced on Thursday.

Authorities allege that those retailers and importers committed deceptive acts, false advertising and thousands of violations of state laws related to selling hazardous toys when they imported and sold thousands of Cra-Z-Jewelz jewelry-making kits between 2015 and 2016, according to the suit filed in Albany County Supreme Court.

“No parent should have to worry that their child’s toy may be toxic. As we allege, these companies imported and sold toys with dangerous levels of toxic lead -- jeopardizing the health of New York’s children and breaking the law,” Underwood said in a statement. “Our lawsuit seeks to hold these companies accountable for the failures that allowed lead-contaminated toys on store shelves, while forcing them to take responsibility for the safety of the products they sell.”

The federal limit for lead is 100 parts per million (ppm).

In a statement, Walmart said that they take safety seriously and "require our suppliers to meet safety standards."

"As soon as LaRose Industries made us aware of the product recall nearly three years ago, we removed the items from our shelves and online and haven’t sold them since. We’ve discussed this matter with the New York Attorney General’s office and will address the allegations and demands with the court," Walmart added.

Target also issued a statement in response to the lawsuit.

"As soon as the New York Attorney General let us know about the allegations with this product after its testing back in 2016, we immediately and voluntarily pulled the bracelet kit from our stores," said Target in a statement. "We’re committed to providing high quality and safe products to our guests and we require all of our vendors to follow safety laws and CPSC guidelines for the products they sell at Target."

In 2015 and 2016, the New York attorney general’s office said they tested Cra-Z-Jewelz kits sold in New York City, Long Island, Syracuse and Buffalo and found lead levels of 120 to 980 ppm in wristbands from kits sold at Target and supplied by LaRose. Prosecutors determined the same LaRose-supplied kits were sold in New York Walmart stores, according to the lawsuit.

Following the initial finding of high-lead levels in the wristbands, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, LaRose and the attorney general’s office all did additional testing that also found that there was lead contamination, the attorney general’s office said in a statement.

LaRose then issued a national recall of the jewelry-making kits, according to the attorney general. They also adopted "measures to better ensure that the imported toys they sell comply with federal lead limits."

Prosecutors are seeking civil penalties from $70 to $6,000 for each Cra-Z-Jewelz kit the companies sought to sell in the state and a court order requiring the companies to "take actions to ensure that toys with high lead levels do not end up on the retailers' store shelves."